Tutuban Station
Tutuban is major railroad station in the City of Manila. Due to its location, it is commonly known as Manila station. History The area occupying the Tutuban Terminal was once a land where tuba is being produced and also the birthplace of Andres Bonifacio, the cornerstone for the construction of the station as part of the Manila-Dagupan Railroad was laid on July 31, 1887, services started on March 24, 1891. Services between Manila and Dagupan commenced on November 24, 1892, but through services only began in 1894 after the completion of the Rio Grande de Pampanga Bridge. The laying of the cornerstone for the new Tutuban station building was held on February 21, 1994 together with the opening of the former station as the Center Mall. The new Tutuban Executive Building was inaugurated on May 30, 1996. Although completed, it was not used by passengers until 2009. Freight Station Main Article: Tutuban Freight station The Freight station, also known as the Incoming Freight Terminal was formerly located east of the main station where Tutuban Primeblock now stands on its spot. It was originally erected beside the Dagupan St. until it was transferred as part of the terminal improvements and remodelling. Preservation The original Tutuban station had its own museum featuring different images of its past and other relics, the Presidential Car ABB-1 was given a marker in 1984 for its historical value and exhibited outside, both disappeared when the station was converted into a mall, the structure of the station building and its inner architectural design was also retained The current station shows two (formerly 3) steam locomotives, a Kalamazoo Inspection Railcar and images from the American Era provided by the Railways and Industrial Heritage Society of the Philippines, other items such as a MRR plate from the Manila Hotel, scale models of past rolling stocks and depictions of the MRR and PNR General Manager. Films Tutuban was seen in the 1989 film "Return from the River Kwai" as Saigon Railroad Station. Notes * A proposed new station building was issued in 1939 but it was cancelled due to the arrival of the Japanese Army. Another proposal was in 1960 as part of the modernization plan. * Aside from the Freight Terminal, the eastern section of the Tutuban station building which was added around the 1920s was demolished. * Dubs No. 17 "Urdaneta" locomotive, displayed near the station around 1986 to 1989 and the new Executive Buidling in 1996 was transferred at the Dagupan City Plaza on 2005. * Some rumors states that the wooden dilapidated Dormitory Car at Tutuban Shed was the former Presidential Car ABB-1 but there is no proof of that even though they almost have the same appearance except the length of the bogies from each other. * When the station was converted into a mall, the exterior was restored and the bricks were painted red. In 2016, the bricks were repainted brown, bringing back the original ediface when it was opened 124 years ago. * When the station opened in 1891, only 60 meters out of 108 meters of the platforms were protected with roof, an expansion from 1926 to 1927 took place, covering the whole platform area. Kategorya:Major stations